New England Patriots Kyle Van Roy celebrates with Dont'a Hightower after Hightower forced a fumble in action against the Atlanta Falcons during the NFL Super Bowl LI football game on Sunday, Feb. 05, 2017 in Houston. The Patriots defeated the Falcons 34-28 in overtime. (G. Newman Lowrance via AP)

New England Patriots Dont'a Hightower (54) celebrates after the NFL Super Bowl LI football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Feb. 05, 2017 in Houston. The Patriots defeated the Falcons 34-28 in overtime.
(Tom DiPace via AP)

AP, Tom DiPace

New England Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower during action against the San Francisco 4...

New England Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower during action against the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016, in Santa Clara, CA. The Pats won 30-17. (Daniel Gluskoter/AP Images for Panini)

FILE - In this Oct. 9, 2016, file photo, New England Patriots middle linebacker Dont'a Hightower hits Cleveland Browns quarterback Cody Kessler in the first half of an NFL football game, in Cleveland. Kessler's pass went out of the end zone for a safety. The pain is only intensifying for the Browns. They had two more quarterbacks injured in Sunday's loss to New England and while there has been some sign of improvement under coach Hue Jackson, Cleveland is 0-5 and headed toward another dismal season. (AP Photo/David Richard, File)

FILE- In this Jan. 14, 2017, file photo, New England Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower (54) tackles Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) during the first half of an NFL divisional playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass. They'll be on opposite sidelines in Sunday's Super Bowl, but there is a ton of respect between Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower and Falcons linebacker Courtney Upshaw. The duo were roommates at Alabama, where they first learned about playing in demanding environments with expectations, and won a pair of national championships in 2009 and 2011. But only one of them can earn his second Super Bowl ring. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)

AP, Elise Amendola

New England Patriots' Dont'a Hightower celebrates after a tackle against the Atlanta Falco...

New England Patriots' Dont'a Hightower celebrates after a tackle against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

New England Patriots Dont'a Hightower (54) celebrates with his mom after the NFL Super Bow...

New England Patriots Dont'a Hightower (54) celebrates with his mom after the NFL Super Bowl LI football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Feb. 05, 2017 in Houston. The Patriots defeated the Falcons 34-28 in overtime.
(Tom DiPace via AP)

New England Patriots middle linebacker Dont'a Hightower (54) leaps and celebrates with New England Patriots outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy (53) after Hightower sacks Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) for a loss of 11 yards and a fumble recovered by the Patriots at the Falcons 25 yard line as the Patriots begin their comeback win during the Super Bowl LI football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017 in Houston. The Patriots won the game 34-28 in overtime. (Paul Spinelli via AP)